According to Pooja’s complaint, Rathod approached the MLA over the phone on July 12.Four BJP MLAs from Maharashtra were allegedly duped into sending money to a conman who approached them saying he needed financial assistance as his mother was ill, the police said.
While Pune MLA Madhuri Misal’s daughter Pooja filed a complaint against Mukesh Rathod at Bibvewadi police station, the police are investigating if MLAs Meghna Bordikar from Jintur, Shweta Mahale from Buldhana, and Devyani Farande from Nashik too were cheated by Rathod.
According to Pooja’s complaint, Rathod approached the MLA over the phone on July 12. “He told her that his mother has been hospitalised at a private hospital at Baner and he needed money to buy medicine. Misal’s daughter sent Rs 3,400 to him on Google Pay. It was later found that Rathod had made similar calls to several other public personalities and that he had lied while seeking help. The MLA’s daughter then approached the cyber-crime branch of Pune Police,” Police Inspector Vilas Sonde said.
Rathod, who has not been arrested yet, has been booked for cheating by personation under sections 419 of the Indian Penal Code and 66D of the Information Technology Act.
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Sonde said that the police will approach the three other MLAs too.
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